The extremely competitive MPV segment throws up a veritable feast of choices. We pit the Xylo, the Evalia and the Innova against each other to see who comes out on top as the king of MPVs

For a long time now, Toyota's Innova has been the go-to car in the premium multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) segment, but this year, with the arrival of Nissan's Evalia and Mahindra's Xylo getting some serious upgrades as well, this segment has been thrown wide open, seeing it transformed into an absolute three-way slugfest.

We're looking at what makes these cars the creme de la creme of the MPV segment, so that you can make an informed choice on which one to buy.

Visual Appeal:

Straight off the bat, the Xylo has the kind of commanding presence, and a bucket-load of attitude to give with it that you either love or hate. I for one rate the Xylo's aesthetics quite highly, but opinions may differ in this regard.

The Innova is relatively simple looking; it has the kind of classic lines that are so native to the Toyota stable, and in typical Toyota tradition will be easy on the eye, but unremarkable too. You won't find too many individuals who will swear by the design, but it won't have too many detractors either.

The Evalia is by far and away the least impressive looking of the three cars. The big, bulky van-like design does leave a lot to be desired in the looks department, but then again looks aren't really the top priority with most prospective buyers of an MPV. Also Read: Nissan Evalia vs Toyota Innova Comparison

In terms of a comfortable ride and easy handling, you really can't look past the Innova. Within the three of these highly capable MUVs, the Innova has obviously reaped the benefit of arriving on the scene first, but first-mover advantage isn't the be-all-end-all of the story here. Toyota has hit the nail squarely on the head when it comes to overall ride quality and the handling package, making it not just an apt choice for the fleet market, but an obvious one for the family which desires a large sized people mover as well.

The Evalia is treads the middle ground in terms of ride quality and how it handles, especially considering the stock LT-rated tyres shod on its 14-inch wheels, which would look more at home on light transport vehicles. But of course, a quick swap to standard road-car tyres should greatly enhance the overall driving experience.

The Xylo feels slightly off in the ride and handling aspects when compared to the Innova and Evalia. The big Mahindra rolls quite a bit and the damping needs to be sorted out further.

Space and seating capacity:

While the Xylo is the biggest car of the lot in terms of external dimensions, clever design work on Nissan's part sees the Evalia win the category for most spacious. The distinct van-like silhouette does allow for plenty of room, with the Xylo close behind.

In fact the Xylo could possibly squeeze in more people than the other two but comfortably or not is a different issue altogether.

The Innova makes no bones about what it offers. While the there isn't acres of space, the right packaging means if filled with the right amount of people, the Innova offers more than adequate space. Its only the third bench where the Innova cannot compete with the other two.

Power, Price & fuel efficiency:

The 2.5 litre mEagle engine used in the Xylo gives out 113.56 PS of power and 260 Nm of torque, making it the most powerful car on this list, the Innova's 2.5 litre D-4D engine on the other hand provides 102 PS of power and 200 Nm of torque. Coming in last in terms of power is the Evalia with a 1.5 Litre DCi which provides a relatively paltry 86PS of power, but the same amount of torque as the Innova - 200Nm.

In terms of cost, the Evalia just edges it with prices ranging between Rs 8.49 lakh and 9.99 lakh. The Xylo comes in at a close second spot with the minimum and maximum prices set at Rs 7.54 and 10.54 lakh respectively. The Innova comes in at a distant third in this respect, and can range between Rs 9.78 Lakh and 13.89 Lakh. (All prices are ex-showroom Delhi)

The expensive price of the Innova will help save some money in terms of fuel though, as the Innova is the most economical of the lot with an overall mileage of 13.6kmpl. The second most fuel efficient is the Evalia which gives 12.8 kmpl overall. The Xylo at 9.75kmpl overall is the clear loser in this category.

Depending on your MPV requirements, either one of these three will make for the perfect choice, but there's no doubting the fact that they are the pick of the bunch and bring their own brand of individualistic and unique traits to the table.

So if style, features and power are what you most seek then the Xylo will make for a good fit, but if ride comfort, fuel efficiency and handling are your primary concern, then the Innova might be the wiser investment, and the Evalia makes perfect sense if you want a car that contains the best of both worlds and looks don't rank that highly in your list of requirements. Whatever you pick those long drives with family and friends will be a whole new experience if you're behind the wheel of any of these three cars.